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A flyer for the concert scudded across the pavement. As the wind picked up, I stared at the phone in my hand.
22
Crazy
Christina
The ground moved under me as I followed the snaking path between buildings. I’d lasted two minutes by the tree after Patrick ran off with his phone. Crazy as it was, I’d meant to wait for him. But that oversized frozen mocha I drank during the concert was back; I needed a bathroom.
Scene on the Green was wrapping up, and the lines for the closest girls’ rooms, in Rickett and Egan Hall, were out the door.
I veered away from the quad, rounding the backs of the buildings. It was dark here, and quiet. Skirting a clump of bushes, I turned down the path to the engineering building. My high was fading, and the building was silent when I opened the front door.
I took my phone out, hoping for a message from Patrick. Something along the lines of:Don’t worry. I’m going to track you down and make you mine, over and over again, and then I’ll profess my undying love. I promise, baby, we’ll be together forever after graduation.
Jesus. Needless to say, there was nothing on my screen.
In the engineering building,I typed.Needed the ladies’ room.
Just like a normal relationship. Not like I was a girl hired for him to have his way with. Though at some point, his way had become my way, too.
My head snapped up.
Shit. I’d been so focused on my phone, I’d gone down the wrong hallway. The restrooms were in the other wing. Light footfalls sounded behind me; someone else was in the building. I spun around.
And came face to face with Dexter.
“Oh.” The air hissed out of me. I turned it into a giggle. “Hey. I’m just going to the bathroom.” I strode toward him, angling to the left.
He stood in front of me, blocking my way.
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” he said, with a strange, slow smile.
“Excuse me?” It came out a question. Dexter cocked his head. I tried to brush past him, but he moved to block me again.
“I just want to talk to you, Christina.” He held his hands in the air, his voice silky. “Just talk. That’s all.”
“About what? There’s nothing to talk about. I have to pee.”
“I saw something really interesting. And what I heard…that was even more interesting.”
“Whatever, Dex. My bladder’s about to burst.” I turned on my heel, heading for the exit, prepared to brave the quad bathrooms.
“What were you doing by that tree? With yourboyfriend?” He twisted the word.
I halted. Slowly, I pivoted to face him. He took a step closer.
“I heard you.” His dark eyes turned sleepy. Bedroom eyes, fringed by long lashes. “I heardhim.‘I can’t afford you. Such a good little whore. Priceless.’”
“Youfollowedus from the quad?” My voice quavered. Dammit. “You weren’t there by accident, I know you weren’t. How dare you spy on us?”
Dexter shook his head slowly. His fingers curled at his sides, and my skin crawled. “Is it true? No, it can’t be true.”
“Is what true?”
“That he’s —” Dexter glanced down at my hips — “paying you.That you got off on talking about it while he fingered you. That you were gonnacome—” the word was ugly in his mouth — “while he called you his whore. You’d never do something like that, Christina. Say it isn’t true.”
I looked into the eyes of my ex-boyfriend, and I saw a stranger.
